Dukkah crusted flathead
Dukkah crusted flathead and herbed roasted potatoes is my middle child’s favourite dinner. From a child who never liked fish or ate cooked vegetables, he’s come a long way. I think, because he’s a growing teenager, now taller than me and hungry (all the time, it seems), he’ll eat anything that’s put in front of him. The teenager is now quite partial to steamed broccoli, which he thinks goes well with this dish. I like it with salad.
If you have any leftover dukkah crusted flathead, serve it up, either cold or warm, with salad in flour tortillas. It’s delicious!
We have this dinner once a week because it doesn’t require too much effort. I usually stop at Paddington Market after Saturday school sport to pick up some fresh produce. The fishmonger there, ‘Off the Dock Seafood,’ sells vacuum-sealed fish fillets. The fillets keep well for a day or two until I’m ready to cook them.
If I text Beatriz early in the morning, she’ll even put aside some fillets for me as they sell out quickly. Do you have relationships like this with suppliers in your neighbourhood?
Herbed roasted potatoes
Who doesn’t love herbed roasted potatoes, with their crispy skins and soft middles? The kids like their potatoes served in wedges, as I’ve done here. I rarely peel potatoes because I like the texture of the skin. Plus, there’s less food waste, and one less step for dinner prep. I quite like a mixture of herbs from my garden, but, of course just use one if you prefer.
Recipe for dukkah
Dukkah is a traditional Egyptian blend of nuts, seeds, and warm spices. It is typically sprinkled over bread dipped in olive oil, but I really enjoy enjoy using it, not only with this dish, but sprinkled over lamb cutlets, chicken, and roasted vegetables, too.
It is easy to make your own dukkah, and it’s cheaper than the store-bought brands. Here’s a recipe for dukkah if you’d like to make your own. It makes a great gift, too.
I started adding dukkah to the flathead to entice my youngest child to try fish, and he liked it! Dukkah crusted flathead is the only fish that my younger son will eat that’s not out of a tin. It’s been a hit with other kids who’ve been to our place for dinner.
Best wishes,
Amanda
PS: If you’ve tried this crispy dukkah crusted flathead or any other recipe on At Amanda’s Table, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below. If you’d like to read more, please subscribe to my monthly newsletter for stories, recipes and tips for simple, nutritious meals.
Crispy Dukkah Crusted Flathead
Ingredients
Dukkah Crusted Flathead
- 8 flathead fillets they're quite small, so allow 2 per serve
- 4 tbsp dukkah
- 4 tbsp plain flour
- 4 tbsp canola oil
- sea salt and black pepper
- lemon wedges, to serve
Herbed Roasted Potatoes
- 4 potatoes, washed and sliced into thick chips I used Desiree potatoes
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp finely chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as thyme, oregano, rosemary
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
- You will need to start on the potatoes first. Preheat the oven to 200℃ (180℃ fan-forced) and line a large baking dish or tray with baking paper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, garlic, mixed herbs, and a generous amount of salt and pepper.
- Toss the potato chips in the oil mixture and spread out evenly on the tray.
- Roast for 40 minutes until crispy and golden, shaking half-way through cooking.
- To prepare the flathead fillets, stir the flour and dukkah together and spread out across a large plate.
- Season the flathead fillets with a little salt, then coat in the dukkah flour mixture, shaking off any excess.
- Place the prepared fillets on another plate, ready to cook. Have a third plate on hand, lined with paper towel, ready for the cooked fish.
- Heat a large frypan over medium heat until very hot, then add the oil and tilt the pan to coat the base with oil.
- Lay the fillets one by one on the pan, pressing down with a spatula or wooden spoon to flatten the fillets. Cook for about 3 minutes until nearly cooked through, then flip over and cook for another 1-2 minutes until golden on both sides.
- Remove the cooked fillets from the pan, and place on the paper-lined plate to drain any excess oil.
- Serve the flathead immediately with lemon wedges on the side, herbed roasted potatoes and salad or steamed vegetables.
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